


Secret Santa

by Swen and Chill (anotherouatwriter)



Series: Baby, it's cold outside. [11]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, SO MUCH FLUFF, Secret Santa, countdown to christmas, sq fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8817967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherouatwriter/pseuds/Swen%20and%20Chill
Summary: Regina has been getting presents from a person posing as  Secret Santa.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note: meanings for the symbols where taken from  www.whats-your-sign.com

"Henry, I need you to distract your mother," Emma spoke as soon as she heard Henry picking up his phone.

" _Good morning to you, too,_ " she heard Henry teasing her through the phone. " _How are you? I'm fine, thanks for asking._ "

She growled a "Henry!" and he chuckled.

" _What can I do for you on this fine day_?"

"Distract your mother."

" _Why?_ "

"You'll find out later."

" _Should I worry?_ "

"No," Emma answered with certainty. "Just, whatever you do, don't let her enter the living room," she added before hanging up the phone and picking the small box she bought during her last trip to New York and had kept hidden for three months.

The blonde walked towards the mansion, not wanting for the Bug's engine to give her away. Regina could hear her coming from a mile away. Being stealthy as humanly possible, she walked around the white mansion and reached the living room from the outside. She tried the windows. She left one of them open when she visited last night, thinking ahead.

Climbing the small gap, she broke into the Mills Mansion like a common thief. She landed on the inside with a small thud, but luckily no one heard her.

She hid the small box in Regina's Christmas stocking and escaped out of the window.

Mission accomplished.

For the last month, she had been leaving small gifts for Regina. Of course, the Mayor didn't know it was Emma's work, since the blonde always signed as "Secret Santa" and feigned cluelessness when Regina brought up the topic to her.

Ever since they came back from the Underworld without Killian and Robin had been killed by Hades, they had grown closer to each other. First, they were healing their broken hearts with each other's company, then developing their friendship. Now, almost five years later, Emma could say with certainty she was in love with Regina Mills.

They did everything together, they had lunch and dinners, with and without Henry, movie nights, and family trips. They were already a married couple, without the kissing and living together parts, which was something Emma desperately wanted to change.

So when December came around, Emma decided to do something about her feelings. With each gift, she'd leave Regina a short note, writing something she loved about the brunette. But, she was not brave enough to sign them with her name, not when she didn't know if Regina reciprocated her feelings, not when she didn't know if she'd ruin whatever they had now.

However, after the fifteenth day of watching Regina smile after reading each note, she was dying to let Regina know it was her, she was dying to see what would happen next.

Emma knocked on the door of the Mifflin Street mansion later that night. She knew Henry had a party and wouldn't come home until after midnight. Regina's face changed from confusion to happiness when she saw the blonde in her porch.

"Emma! What are you doing here?" the brunette asked with a smile that brightened Emma's world up.

"I know Henry's out for most of the night, so I was thinking maybe we could hang out."

Hang out... she mentally slapped herself, how old was she? Twelve?

Regina invited her in and they walked towards the living room, Emma's heart accelerated when she saw the stocking. It was empty.

From behind, she heard Regina chuckle, "Looking for this, Swan?" Regina asked as she produced the box from her pocket and placed it within Emma's sight.

Emma panicked for a second, her proposal plans completely ruined now that Regina found the box before she got here. And Damn it, Henry! You had one job.

"You know, for someone who's so good with written words, you are terrible at speaking them," Regina pointed out and Emma's eyes were wide as saucers.

"You knew?" Emma asked.

"Emma, you've filed reports for almost 8 years, of course, I knew it was your handwriting," Regina smiled at her.

"Should have printed the notes," Emma muttered, lowering her gaze.

Regina placed her fingers below her chin and raised Emma's face a bit, "I'm glad you didn't."

"But you knew it was me!"

"It didn't make it any less sweet, Emma!" Regina reasoned with her, "I loved each present and note and I loved even more that it was from you."

"You did?" Emma asked, and when Regina nodded, she asked, "Why didn't you say something?"

"I did, but you'd always act stupid. So I decided to see where you would take this," the brunette explained. Then she placed the box on Emma's hands. "I haven't opened it. I found it by mistake but when I didn't find a note, I figured you had a plan for it. So I didn't open it."

Emma cleared her throat, "It's not a ring."

"I figured. The box is too wide and not tall enough."

"Not that I wouldn't consider it, I just... Want to take this slow and enjoy every moment."

At this Regina smiled, but it was not the regular smile she gave to everyone. It was the smile she only gave to Henry. "I'm glad to hear."

Emma took a deep breath and walked towards the chimney, placing the box again inside the stocking. Even thought it hadn't turned out the way she had planned, she'll still follow her original idea.

"Regina, I think there's something in your stocking," the blonde pointed out.

Regina pursed her lips, trying to suppress a laugh, and walked towards the chimney. She took the box out and looked at Emma.

"Open it," the blonde encouraged it. And, Regina did without thinking twice about it, because she has been dying to see what Emma had got her ever since she found the burgundy box.

It was a bracelet with three small pendants: a swan, a horse and a heart. They looked like origami figurines but were made of gold.

"Regina," Emma started, taking the bracelet out from the box and offering to put it on the brunette's wrist. Regina extended her arm for Emma. "When I first saw you, despite all our differences, I thought you were the sexiest woman alive. But then, I got to know you. I got to see the real you. And I learned that you were not only sexy, but beautiful, both inside and out. And without realizing, I started to fall in love with you. Even when I told myself that I cared for you because of Henry or because of our friendship. I can see that now."

Emma finished putting the bracelet on, and she grabbed Regina's hand into hers.

"I've worried for too long that I'd ruin our friendship if I said something. But not long ago, I realized I could ruin our happy endings if I didn't. I don't have much to give you, but everything I have, it's yours,"

Emma traced her thumb over the bracelet, and Regina shivered under the touch. No one has ever treated her with so much love.

"So," Emma continued, "This is the last present I'll give you as your Secret Santa and the first I'll give you as Emma." The blonde looked up, her eyes locked with Regina's, "A heart is for Henry, our greatest treasure. A horse is for your grace and strength. And, if you want me, a swan for our love."

Regina raised her free hand, the one that was not being held by Emma's, and cupped the blonde's cheek. "Who would not want you, Emma Swan? When you are the most perfect person in this realm and all the other realms," she whispered and leaned in, to press her lips against Emma's.


End file.
